Planning a trip? Don’t forget to prepare your body as well as your suitcase. Even the most relaxed tour can involve more standing, walking, and movement than your typical day at home. Museum visits, city tours, airport connections, and just getting from the hotel lobby to your room can add up fast—especially in places with cobblestones, stairs, or limited seating.
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If you’re thinking about joining one of our upcoming tours, now is the perfect time to start getting "travel ready." That might mean walking a little more each day, breaking in your shoes ahead of time, or practicing standing for longer periods without needing a break. You’ll enjoy your experience so much more when you’re not worrying about sore feet or tired legs.

Here are 5 simple and quick ways to get yourself travel-ready and fully ready to enjoy your tour experience! 

• Start a Walking Routine
  Begin walking 15–20 minutes a day, 3–5 times a week. Increase your time or distance gradually until you're comfortably walking 2–3 miles. This mimics the amount of walking often done on a full touring day.
• Practice Standing Still
  Tours often involve standing during talks or museum visits. Practice standing for 10–15 minutes without sitting, maybe while folding laundry or cooking. Gradually work up to 30 minutes.
• Break in Your Travel Shoes
  Wear the shoes you plan to travel in for short outings now—grocery store runs, errands, or walks around the block—to make sure they’re comfortable before your trip.
• Strengthen Balance and Legs
  Add simple exercises like calf raises (standing on tiptoe), step-ups on a low stair, or gentle squats using a chair for support. These improve stamina for stairs, uneven sidewalks, and long walking days.
• Stretch Every Morning
  Try a 5-minute morning stretch routine to improve flexibility. Focus on calves, hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders—all of which get tight from walking and sitting.

​Let’s face it—travel is better when you feel your best. Consider this your official invitation to take a few short walks this week. Your future traveling self will thank you!

Starting November 27th, US citizens traveling to the UK will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for travel after January 8, 2025. This is not a visa. A visa is a more extensive travel document that is not required for US citizens visiting the UK for tourism or certain other short-term purposes.

The ETA is an electronic document that gives you permission to travel to the UK. It is valid for two years and allows you to make multiple trips during that time.

Here are the steps to apply for an ETA:

• Gather the required documents: You will need your passport (the actual document, not a copy), access to your email, and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
• Prepare the necessary photos: You will need to upload or take photos of your passport and your face.
• Apply using the app: The fastest and easiest way to apply is by using the UK ETA app, which is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
• Apply online if needed: If you cannot use the app or if you are applying for someone else who is not with you, you can apply online.
  
  

The ETA application fee is £10. Each person traveling, including babies and children, must apply for their own ETA. You can apply for others as needed. You cannot get a refund after you apply.

It typically takes 3 working days to get a decision on your ETA application, but you may get a decision sooner. You can travel to the UK while waiting for a decision. You will receive an email confirmation when your ETA is approved.

Please note that an ETA does not guarantee entry into the UK. You will still need to see a Border Force officer upon arrival.

Please contact our agency if you have questions or visit Gov.UK for more information.

Looking for the perfect getaway this year? Look no further than a cruise vacation! As travel restrictions are now a thing of the past and the world is open anywhere you want to go, embarking on a cruise offers a fantastic opportunity to explore new horizons while enjoying unparalleled comfort and convenience. Here are just a few reasons why you should consider setting sail on a cruise this year.
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First and foremost, cruising provides an all-inclusive experience that takes the stress out of vacation planning. With accommodations, dining, entertainment, and transportation all seamlessly integrated into one package, you can simply relax and let the journey unfold. Whether you're seeking adventure in exotic locales or relaxation on pristine beaches, cruises offer a diverse array of destinations to suit every taste and interest. From the sun-soaked Caribbean islands to the breathtaking fjords of Norway, there's a cruise itinerary to satisfy every wanderlust.

Just look at what we're doing on our tours for Zachary Travel this year. Almost 90 of our travelers are joining us on 2 different Tulips on the Rhine sailings this summer. What a great way to explore some of what Europe offers! No unpacking every few days, and you still get to see the destinations your bucket list craves. And if Europe is a little too exotic for a first-time cruise, this 7-day group cruise to Western Caribbean out of Galveston could be a good one for you to try. There's still space, but hurry and sign up soon to get your preference of cabin category. 

Still not sure a cruise is for you? One popular myth many people believe about cruises is that there's nothing for them to do while they're on the ship.  Cruise ships today are veritable floating resorts, boasting an array of amenities and activities to keep you entertained throughout your journey. From indulgent spa treatments to exhilarating onboard activities like rock climbing and zip-lining, going for walks with the ocean as your view, enjoying onboard games and nightly entertainment, there's never a dull moment on a cruise ship. Plus, with world-class dining options offering everything from gourmet cuisine to casual fare, you'll be spoiled for choice at every meal. So why wait? Start planning your dream cruise vacation with us today. 

Still reading? Then you'll be one of the first to know that we're planning on a Christmas Market cruise on the Danube in 2025! Want more information? Email us and we'll add you to the interest list. 

Over the last several years, the U.S. government has been warning everyone that a new type of ID will be required if you ever need to fly domestically, or access certain federal buildings.

Louisiana has been offering the Real ID since 2016, but there are many states throughout the country that are still not fully compliant which is why the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced earlier this year that the deadline is extended until May 7 of 2025.

In order to get the Real ID, mainly identified by a star in the corner of your driver's license, you need to come to the DMV with certain documentation, including a birth certificate or passport, your social security card, and 2 documents to establish residency, such as a utility bill or bank statement.

In case you were wondering, only about 30% of Louisiana residents currently have the REAL ID.

If you don't ever plan on flying anywhere or entering a federal building, then you may be ok - but if there's the slightest possibility that a loved one might pass away in another state you need to fly to, or you enter a contest that requires you to show up on the other side of the country to claim your winnings - you might want to get it.

Just to be safe. 

PASSPORTS

Speaking of being safe, if you're planning on traveling to another country and you need to renew or get a new passport in the next year or so, you might want to go ahead and apply for it - like yesterday. The U.S. State Department announced this past spring that due to demand, processing times are much longer. Up to 9 weeks if you pay the fee to expedite - up to 13 weeks if you don't. The government has even resorted to offering special events called "Passport Fairs" ... which is great if you live in California or New Jersey... but not so great if you don't. 

If you're taking a cruise you may be inclined to think that you don't need a passport. That's because many cruises that leave from U.S. soil and return to U.S. soil are considered a "closed loop" cruise which means you can show a birth certificate and driver's license and avoid needing a passport. Sure, you can certainly do it this way, but like it is with most attempts to take the easy way out... there's a risk. When you enter another country without a passport, there's a risk you'll end up stranded should something happen - the Segway you're riding on your Cozumel excursion gets hit by a car or your appendix bursts and while you're in the hospital trying to get it all sorted out, your cruise ship goes on to the next port and you're stuck in another country waiting for the U.S. embassy or your Congressman back home to help you fast-track a passport. 

Whether you're renewing your about-to-expire passport, or need a new one altogether, pay for the expedited process, and pay for the quicker mail return. Otherwise, you're at the mercy of the passport processor AND the U.S. mail. And that's a whole other subject, isn't it? 

Sara
​Zachary Travel

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As more vaccines are made available, we are hearing from more and more clients who are ready to schedule travel and sign up for tours. Our summer and fall travel seasons are looking strong! So, are you still trying to decide where you want to travel this year? We have some suggestions - in no specific order - but don't wait too long to choose, because we'd hate for you to end up on a waitlist. 

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1. Grand Canyon​
Enjoy walking in wide open spaces and the beauty of the West when you join us for this tour that explores places like Oak Creek Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon and Monument Valley, famous for being a filming location for Western-themed movies. 

2. Best of Arkansas Summer​
This was a tour that we first introduced in 2020 with great interest from clients that had to be delayed due to the pandemic. We're currently a little over halfway full for this tour that offers the chance to stay at 3 different historic and beautiful resort lodges, and visits to the Crystal Bridges Museum, Walmart Museum and a performance of the Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs. Can't make it for this one? We also have an Arkansas Fall tour happening. 

3. Kentucky/Noah's Ark Summer​
Our Noah's Ark/Kentucky tour has been a popular one since we introduced it a few years ago. Clients can enjoy a full day at the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter, exploring what it might have been like to have lived aboard the Ark during the Great Flood talked about in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. Other highlights include the Corvette Museum and the Kentucky Horse Park. This tour is almost full and has a very limited number of openings left before we go to waitlist. 

4. Yellowstone/Mt. Rushmore
Celebrate the 4th of July at Mount Rushmore, get a scoop of Huckleberry ice-cream, and gaze in amazement at all of the incredible wildlife that Yellowstone offers like bison, bighorn sheep, elk, moose and more. Other highlights include the Badlands, Rocky Mountain National Park and the Grand Tetons. This is another tour that is almost full and has a very limited number of openings left before we go to waitlist. 

5. Cape Cod
Lobster, lobster, lobster! Did we mention we love the lobster on this tour? But we also can't leave out the mussels and clams - the food alone is worth going on this trip, and being from Louisiana, you know if we're mentioning the food, it must be delicious! This tour includes 4 nights in the same hotel with visits to the Islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. 

6. Colorado​
One of our client favorites, our Colorado with Trains tour is a trip NOT TO MISS if you love the idea of seeing panoramic views from the comfort of your train car. Our clients can't stop raving about the beauty of the fall foliage they encounter, including the golden hues of the Quaking Golden Aspens and many sign up for this trip multiple times because it's just that good. 

7. Pioneer Woman​
Travel to Pawhuska, Oklahoma with us and enjoy all the fan-girling (or fan-guying) you want over all things Pioneer Woman! Home of Food Network Star Ree Drummond, also known as the Pioneer Woman, we'll spend time in the Pioneer Woman's Mercantile, and enjoy an included dinner featuring a couple of the Pioneer Woman's recipes, and we may even get a chance to tour the Drummond Lodge (subject to production schedules). We'll also visit a few other highlights around town as well. This trip has received strong interest in recent days so don't wait to book your spot!

8. New England
Our New England Fall Foliage tour has remained our most popular tour out of any of the tours we do, and typically fills up early, which is why we offer this tour twice each year. The blaze of color you see - reds, greens, oranges, and yellows, the quaint Norman Rockwell-esque towns you travel through, the covered bridges all offer a sense of nostalgia and a chance to slow down and bask in the beauty of the Fall season. See Niagara Falls, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and Plymouth Rock to name just a few of the amazing stops we make on this tour. We are currently at waitlist for both trips this year, but since it's still early in the year and the possibility is strong that our covid-19 capacity limits will be increased, we encourage you to go ahead and get on the list. 

9. Nashville Christmas​
Enjoy this fun holiday-filled trip to Nashville where we stay at the beautiful Opryland Hotel, all decorated for Christmas and get a taste of a Tennessee Christmas with a special Country Christmas Dinner & Show, a performance at the Grand Ole Opry, and plenty of time to explore downtown Nashville on your own or the resort and all of its many Christmas activities. 

10. Biltmore/Greenbrier Christmas
We combined our Biltmore and Greenbrier tours into one merry holiday tour a couple of years ago to rave reviews from our clients. This tour combines the beauty and the spirit of the holidays as you visit one historic home and one historic hotel, both beautifully decorated and both offering wonderful, entertaining stories of times gone by. This tour still has plenty of space but we encourage you to sign up early. 

As we continue to work towards bringing back travel, we want to keep you up to date with the rapid changes happening when it comes to travel and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

From our partners at ALG Vacations...

On Jan. 12, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test to all air passengers entering the United States. This requirement will go into effect on Jan. 26, 2021.

According to the CDC, air passengers entering the U.S. will be required to present documentation of a negative COVID-19 viral test (called a Qualifying Test) conducted within the 3 days before their flight to the U.S. departs.

• Documentation should be for a viral test as approved or authorized by the relevant national authority.
• Test results must state: Negative, SARS-CoV2 RNA Not Detected, SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Not Detected, or COVID-19 Not Detected.
• Documentation may be paper or electronic copy and must include the name and contact information for the laboratory or healthcare personnel who performed the test.
• Test results may be required to be shown again upon landing.

Alternatively, passengers may provide documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 with documentation of test results conducted during the three months preceding the flight’s departure from a foreign country.

• Test results must state: Positive, SARS-CoV2 RNA Detected, SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Detected, or COVID-19 Detected. Invalid will not be accepted.
• Additionally, a letter from a licensed health professional stating that the passenger has been cleared for travel (called Documentation of Recovery).

​Finally, all airline passengers will be required to present a simple CDC attestation form to the airline for collection prior to boarding. That form can be found here for reference.

For more information, you may reference the FAQs on the CDC website, which can be found here.

Dear Travel Friends,
 
When we started our travels this year, we were excited about 2020 and the many beautiful destinations scheduled. We saw great groups for our Yellowstone in Winter,  our Key West tour, our Iceland tour, as well as our Hawaii group cruise. More people showed interest in traveling and the possibility of expanding our tours was on the horizon. Little did any of us know how quickly a pandemic would put the brakes on our travels and normal life routines.
 
As you might imagine, this was an extremely devastating year for the travel industry, and Zachary Travel did not go untouched. All totaled, we were forced to cancel 36 of our tours this year. But, together with our general manager, Nancy Horn, I made the commitment back in March that first, this agency would not shut our doors and second, every client whose tour was cancelled would receive a full refund.
 
We made the very difficult decision to lay off our entire staff early on, and I am grateful for their willingness to still volunteer to help out when they could. I’m also very thankful to Nancy, who manned the office for months by herself while we waited for suppliers to refund us so we could in turn refund our clients.
 
Let me also say thank you to so many of you who patiently waited for those refunds to come. We know it wasn’t easy waiting months to receive your money back for tours that didn’t go. I believe it speaks to the strong relationships we have with you, as evidenced by the fact that we did not have one chargeback against our agency by a client - something that the credit card merchants have told us is certainly not the norm for travel agencies this year. 
 
I’m also very happy to report that in a year where many travelers found their money completely lost or only partially recovered from travel suppliers, our office has refunded all of our clients who had group tours scheduled with us, and our staff are back and working. It is good to see activity in the office once again and it is wonderful hearing from you, our clients.
 
2021 will certainly be a rebuilding year for travel. We have tried to schedule our year with pandemic restrictions in mind, placing our international tours in the second half of the year with hopes that borders will open and restrictions will lessen once a vaccine is offered. For the time being, we will still limit our domestic motor coach tours to half capacity (28 travelers on a 56-passenger coach) and face coverings will be required when moving on and off and about the coach or when unable to social distance from others not in your party.
 
We have been back leading tours since the beginning of September and while different, we have seen that traveling during a pandemic can still be done safely. We’ve taken groups to Kentucky, the Smokies, and we’re looking forward to our Nashville and Biltmore/Greenbrier tours to complete this unusual year. If you’d like to see pictures of our tours, I’d encourage you to visit our Facebook and Instagram  pages (keyword Zachary Travel).
 
If you haven't yet done so, you can see our complete list of 2021 tours here on our website. Please be aware that because of our limited number for signups, it’s important that you get your deposits in early to avoid the waitlist. Tours that we’re already seeing good response to include the Kansas City Quilt Show (a quilting tour), South Africa, Yellowstone, Washington/Oregon, Canadian Rockies, Holy Land in Fall and New England Fall Foliage.
 
For the most up-to-date information concerning any of our trips, or specific itineraries, please call our office at (225) 654-9210 or email us at [email protected]. Sara, Becky and Jessy will be happy to assist with any questions you may have.
 
Many of you enjoyed using the discount we offered last year; we are once again offering this to our travelers though slightly modified.

1. This year, our annual survey is being offered in an electronic version for our regular clients. This will be sent out to our email list the first week of December - if you do not receive it, please send us an email to request it. 
2. Only one $25 credit voucher per person (up to 2) listed on the returned survey will be issued. 

If you know of anyone who would like to be added to our database and receive our mailouts,  please send us their names and addresses, or pass this information on to them so they can contact us. If you would prefer that your name be removed from our database, please call and let us know. We are utilizing email more often due to the problems we’ve seen with mail this year, so if you are not on our email list, you may sign up at zacharytravel.com. You can also keep up with us on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
 
I’ve greatly enjoyed traveling with many of you over the years and this year of not traveling has been very hard, but the hope of traveling again is what keeps us all going. Your participation in our survey is appreciated as it helps us gain fresh understanding on what our clients want to do in a post-pandemic travel year. I hope to see you on one or more of our 2021 tours very soon. Stay healthy and well.
 
Sincerely,
Wayne Barnes
​Owner, Zachary Travel

Dear Friends,
 
These are certainly unusual days we are all dealing with. We hope you’re staying healthy and well.
 
We are sad to announce that due to numerous cancellations by clients and low numbers for our trips we were still planning to take to Arkansas, Yellowstone, and Canadian Rockies, we have cancelled all of our group tours through the end of July. We are still hopeful that our tour to Nova Scotia at the end of August will still go, along with our fall motor coach tours. 

If you purchased travel insurance through us, you do not need to contact the insurance company. We will submit a list of clients with travel insurance for each tour to Allianz requesting that your premiums be refunded. 

Please be aware that due to the volume of refunds that everyone in the travel industry is dealing with along with limited staffing challenges, there could be longer delays than normal. This includes the insurance company as well as our office. It is realistic to expect your refund within 30 to 60 days and not before. This is not our normal mode of operation and we apologize for the inconvenience but unfortunately, these are not normal times we are working in. 
 
Changes in Travel
The health and safety of our clients is our top priority. As the country works towards restarting the economy and people begin traveling again, we wanted you to know of the extra precautions and policies we are implementing for these first trips on the road after the stay-at-home orders are lifted, until further notice.

1. Each passenger’s temperature will be taken with no-touch thermometers by our guides each morning before boarding the bus. For the health and safety of our group and our guides and bus drivers, anyone with a temperature of 100.4 will be considered to have a fever and will not be allowed to travel any further with the group. Our office will assist with travel arrangements to get the passenger home but the expense of returning home early will be the passenger’s responsibility.
   
   
2. Our motor coach will be wiped down and cleaned multiple times each day with disinfectant wipes and spray. Passengers are strongly encouraged to bring personal face masks, Kleenex and hand sanitizer and to practice good sanitary habits and frequent hand washing. Hand sanitizer is available in the restroom on board the motor coach.
   
   
3. All hotels we are staying at have assured us they are taking the utmost precautions in terms of cleanliness and wellness for their staff and their guests. Housekeeping staff are utilizing masks and gloves for room cleaning and intentionally delaying room cleaning and maintenance until 3 hours after a guest has departed which is creating a 24-hour or longer gap before the next guest takes the room.
   
   
4. Everyone who travels with us until further notice will be required to sign a travel liability waiver and submit it to our office before the day of departure. Anyone without a signed waiver on file will not be allowed to travel with us.
   
   
5. Everyone who travels with us is strongly encouraged to purchase travel insurance. Anyone declining travel insurance will need to sign a travel insurance waiver. Anyone without a signed waiver on file will not be allowed to travel with us.

How we are handling final payment deadlines and cancellations:
If you change your mind about a trip, you must cancel before the final payment deadline in order to receive a refund. If you cancel after the final payment deadline, you must have travel insurance to receive a refund - and the cancellation reason must be a covered reason by the insurance company.
 
If you are traveling with us, please go ahead and send in your final payment by your tour's final payment deadline. We will hold your payment until 30 days before the tour when we will make our final decision on whether the trip will still go. As more areas open up and restrictions are loosened, this may change in the fall.
 
Insurance and cancellations:
Should we as an agency decide to cancel the trip and you have not already cancelled with us, you will receive a full refund and we will request that the insurance company return your insurance premium.

PLEASE NOTE: if you cancel your reservation after the final payment deadline but before our agency cancels a tour, you will have to file an insurance claim in order to receive a refund, and you will not be eligible to get your insurance premium back. 
 
If you do not purchase insurance and cancel after the final payment deadline, you will not receive a refund. In the past, we have made many exceptions for clients who found themselves in this situation, but we are unable to do this going forward. You are strongly encouraged to purchase travel insurance.
 
We hope these additional steps will help alleviate concerns you may have for traveling as we look towards departing for our fall tours. Of course, all of our tours are contingent upon state and federal government guidelines, and a decrease in COVID-19 cases. We will be in touch with any updates or changes as we get closer to our tours departing.
 
Please submit your travel liability and travel insurance waivers (enclosed) with your final payments which you will receive in the mail from us as we get closer to each tour. We must have these on file in order for you to travel with us. You may mail them, or scan them and email them if your payment has already been made.
 
Thank you for your business. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, you can contact us at the office at 225.654.9210 during our limited office hours from 9am-12 noon Monday through Friday or by email at [email protected].